Remote vehicle service requests, such as door lock and unlock, may be passed through a backend telematics server. The backend telematics server receives the service request, and issues a control command to the telematics control unit of the vehicle. The command may be issued over a cellular communication channel to the telematics control unit of the vehicle. The backend telematics server may be operated by the automobile manufacturer, and may be associated with ongoing operational and maintenance costs to the manufacturer.
Once the vehicle is sold to a customer, it may be difficult to add new features to the telematics control unit of the vehicle. Even though new features may be implemented through a software update applied over the air to the telematics control unit, the development and testing costs to add the new features to the backend telematics server may be significant, as the changes may affect a large number of vehicles in the field.